The Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales has recently made headlines by referring a verified case of noncitizen voting to law enforcement. This act is in accordance with the state's new House Enrolled Act (HEA) 1264, a proof of citizenship requirement that became effective July 1. The case in question surfaced in Vigo County, involving an individual who managed to vote in elections as far back as 2018, despite being a noncitizen.
Morales was quite clear on his stance, stating, "One case is one too many—and this is exactly why we passed House Enrolled Act 1264. From day one, I’ve said my biggest accomplishment since taking office is finally requiring proof of citizenship, because only U.S. citizens should be able to vote." He further added, in a statement obtained by events.in.gov, "Critics claimed this law was unnecessary, but now we have concrete evidence that noncitizens have voted in Indiana. This case validates the law and proves our reforms are both necessary and effective."
The discovery followed a meticulous process where the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV) provided a list of individuals with temporary credentials, indicating noncitizen status, which were then cross-checked against the Statewide Voter Registration System. This resulted in 1,611 registrations tied to temporary credentials across 91 counties. In the incident with the Vigo County individual, their Mexican passport served as proof of noncitizenship once they responded to a notice demanding proof within 30 days.
While this particular case was cut and dried, Secretary Morales clarified that future instances might not be as straightforward and could take longer to confirm, necessitating more evidence. His commitment to pursuing these cases was made clear, with Morales affirming his dedication to partnering with federal allies, remarking, "President Trump and his administration have made election integrity a top priority, and I am proud to work alongside them to strengthen Indiana’s election system," as events.in.gov reported.
The case, still under investigation and no charges filed thus far, has been forwarded to the U.S. Department of Justice and the FBI. As these events unfold, the Indiana Secretary of State's Office continues its collaborative efforts with the Vigo County Voter Registration Office and the Indiana State Police to maintain and enforce the integrity of the Hoosier State's electoral process.
